Ever As Before
by lettersofmusic
Summary: Life is hard enough when you're Draco Malfoy, and even more so when you've been cursed to be unlovable to all but one special girl, and die if you don't find her. He must learn to be kind, to care, and above all to love, before time runs out...
1. Fresh Start

_*****Disclaimer: You know the drill. I own nothing, just came up with the storyline (halfway...)*****_

 _I'm going to miss home… My flowers, the sunshine in my window, everything…._ It was to be Hermione's last year at Hogwarts, but after that she wouldn't be going home. She'd be going to mediwitch training in France just after graduation, and then living in the wizarding world permanently after that. Not that she didn't want to go home—she did, but it would just be too hard to jump back and forth between the wizarding and muggle worlds all the time. She would be content with just the occasional visits to the cinema.

Her parents were still in Australia. After the war she'd tried to find their memories and restore them, but the charm she had used proved to be stronger than she intended. There was no way to recover their memories, and they seemed happy in their new life, so she decided to leave them be and just check now and then to be sure they were safe. It was heartbreaking, but she was glad they were safe and that was what mattered.

She'd taken possession of her childhood home and belongings and elected to sell the house during the school year. Harry had agreed to let her store her things at Grimmauld Place until she returned from France and bought her own house. Out of all of her friends, only Harry knew what had happened with her parents, and upon Hermione's request had agreed to keep it secret from everyone else. He didn't approve at first, but when she explained he agreed that she'd done her best and she should just move forward.

She'd taken that summer to pack all of her things and prepare them for storage or travel. She had sold most of her parents old clothing and furniture, only keeping a few trinkets and photos to remember them by. Of her own possessions, she'd packed away most of her books to be stored at Harry's home, and had sorted her closet into 'keep' and 'donate' piles. The 'donate' pile was quite a bit larger than what she would keep—she planned to buy more wizard clothing once she graduated, seeing as she'd be living in the wizarding world.

She'd gotten her Hogwarts letter a bit earlier that year and was pleased to learn that she'd been chosen as Head Girl. Her joy had been quickly stifled, though, when she learned that Malfoy had been chosen as Head Boy. He was intelligent, she couldn't deny that, but the thought of being in close quarters with him for the majority of her time was not an appealing thought. Over the next few weeks she had argued internally with herself on how best to deal with it, and she finally came to the conclusion that there had been enough animosity between the two of them to last a lifetime. She would be civil, and perhaps even kind, and he could do with that what he would. She would _not_ be instigating anything, no matter how horrible he was.

And so that led her to where she was now, waiting behind a line of first years to board the Hogwarts Express. She knew the Heads had their own compartment, so she wasn't worried about finding a seat. What she WAS worried about, though, was what Malfoy would say when they were on the train. She knew how much he hated her, and even if she had resolved to be kind, that didn't mean he would be any less vicious.

 _I don't even know how to react when he insults me. Do I ignore it? Smile and respond? I can't very well insult back like I used to… Oh Merlin, help me._ She thought as she made her way to the door of the train. _Just be kind… Like Cinderella and Belle. Like all of the Disney princesses. Have courage, and be kind._

She boarded and made her way down to the Head compartment. She was relieved to find that Malfoy wasn't there yet, and she would have a few minutes to settle in and collect her thoughts. Stowing her luggage overhead, she settled down into a seat by the window, looking out at the crowded station and the rest of the students as they piled onto the train. She sighed and leaned back, resting her head against the wall. _This is my last year ever on the train… I want to enjoy the time I've got._ She had already changed into her robes, so there wasn't much left do between now and arriving at the castle. _I left behind all my beautiful flowers and herbs… Perhaps I could try conjuring some. We did learn it last year, after all._

She pulled out her spell book and wand. She had practiced very little this summer, which was quite unlike her, but she'd been busy preparing her home to sell. She figured it was a valid enough excuse. Taking a deep breath, she waved her wand and softly said, "hexo osteospermum florae." She smiled gently as half a dozen purple daisies appeared hovering in front of her.

She repeated the spell once more and took the twelve flowers gently in her hands. As a child, purple daisies had always grown in her front yard, and she used to pick them and braid them into flower crowns. Separating three and setting the rest beside her, she decided to make one for herself. _Even if I can't wear it outside of this compartment, it's nice to be able to do things like I used to._ She smiled as she gently began to braid.

* * *

Draco frowned as he shuffled towards the train. He had been undecided about coming back to school this year, but when he received his letter and was notified that he'd been chosen as Head Boy, he decided that it couldn't hurt. Even though he already had a job set up and plenty of money for the future, he wanted to at least know that he'd graduated.

The one thing that had upset him was that Granger had been made Head Girl. It wasn't like he didn't expect it. Everyone knew she was first in their class and was almost guaranteed the position. He just didn't fancy having a know-it-all mudblood constantly showing him up, or reminding him of his Death Eater heritage, or just being an all-around pain in the arse.

 _Merlin knows she's always used that against me._ He thought bitterly. _Just because my father forced me into being a Death Eater, she thinks it's a reason to condemn me for the rest of my life._ Reaching the door, he quickly made his way to the Heads compartment, ignoring the glares and whispered comments from various students he passed. If they wanted to be stuck up pricks, he didn't care. He just wanted to be left alone this year, and he wasn't afraid to use force to achieve it if necessary.

He had almost reached the door when he heard a loudly whispered comment, almost definitely intended for him to hear.

"I'm surprised they would let a Death Eater into the school." It was a short, rather lanky looking second year from Ravenclaw. "His kind shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the rest of us."

He whipped around and glared at the student, his wand trained on the boys chest.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut around the _Head Boy_." He sneered, narrowing his eyes. "I won't hesitate to take house points for that comment, or any further comments on the subject. Get to your compartment. _NOW._ " At his icy glare, the boy lowered his head and stalked back to his friends, though not without shooting a glare full of hatred over his shoulder. Draco didn't look away until the boy had closed his compartment door behind him. Sighing, he turned back to the Heads compartment. He was not looking forward to a year of this. _Or a year of dealing with the mudblood…_ He thought as he opened the door, prepared to hurl a barrage of insults at the Head Girl. What he wasn't prepared for, though, was seeing Granger smiling at a braid of flowers in her hands as she deftly twisted them into a long chain.

He stared. _Since when does Granger play with flowers?_ He wondered, still shocked by the sight. He'd never taken Granger to be the flower type. Any other time he'd seen her, she'd either been writing a ridiculously long essay, had her nose stuck in a large book, or been with Weaselbee and Scarhead. Come to think of it, he'd actually never seen her outdoors, except when walking between classes.

He opened the door further and stepped inside. At the noise Hermione looked up and met his gaze, her eyes widening a bit in surprise. Her smile faltered ever so slightly, but she seemed to recover quickly and simply nodded at Draco before returning her attention to her flowers.

Draco was stunned. _Not a single word. Is she ignoring me? Taunting me? Whatever it is, I won't stand for it!_ He smirked down at her as he stowed his luggage overhead.

"What's the matter, Mudblood? Weaselbee and Scarhead ignoring you, so you're comforting yourself with flowers?" He sat down across from her and folded his arms in front of him. "You know, it's rather pathetic that you have to buy _yourself_ flowers just because your little buddies won't."

At this, Hermione sighed and set the flowers chain down in her lap. When she looked up at him, Draco was unnerved by the rather blank look she gave him.

"If you must know, Malfoy, nobody gives me flowers. I conjured these myself. They're just like the ones that used to grow in my garden at home, and I used to make flower crowns with them as a child. You weren't here yet, and I was rather bored, so I decided to make one for myself." Her voice was surprising soft as she spoke, nothing like the loud, overbearing voice she used in classes or when she normally spoke to him. It was almost unnerving for Draco, and for the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words. Hermione seemed to sense this and, after a moment's silence, picked up her flowers and continued to braid.

Draco took the hint and turned away.

* * *

Hermione sighed internally. _Trust Malfoy to be back to our same old routine the minute he steps foot into the compartment._ She picked up the last flower and quickly braided it in. Looping the chain in a circle, she wove the ends in to complete it, holding it out in front of her to admire her handiwork. _It's just like I remember…_

Her smile faded a bit. She had always made these with her mum… And now it would never happen again. She gently shook her head. _Enough of that, Hermione. Mum's safe. She's happy, and you need to let yourself be happy too._ Smiling again, she gently set the flower crown on her head. She felt like a little girl again, and, dare she say, happy. She reached into her bag and pulled out some old photos of her house. They were of her backyard and garden, where she used to grow all sorts of flowers and herbs. She smiled as she flipped through them, silently mouthing the names of each plant and when she had planted them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Malfoy. She realized that he'd been watching her as she did all this, and silently wondered if he thought she was crazy now. _Not that he didn't think so before…_

His comment is what snapped her back into reality. "You know, the flowers don't make you any better looking. If anything you look even worse, though I don't see how that's possible." His face broke into a sneer as she set the photos down.

She frowned at him but bit back a retort. _Have courage and be kind…_ She took a deep breath. "Duly noted, Malfoy." She'd been determined not to let him get to her, but his comment struck a sore spot. She didn't think she was super pretty, but she at least thought she could be considered cute. She'd grown a little slimmer during the summer, and her hair had calmed down into pretty brown waves that reached her waist. She had a very petite figure and only stood about five feet three inches tall. She knew she'd never be very pretty, but she liked how she looked. Malfoy's comment, however, made her doubt herself just a little.

She frowned again and concentrated her gaze on the floor. They were almost to Hogwarts, and they'd be getting off the train soon. She reached up and removed the flowers, holding them in her hands for a moment as she looked at them. _I'll have to get rid of them soon, anyways._ She waved her wand and they vanished. Turning away from Draco, she settled back into her seat and looked out the window. The sun was setting, and the fields that whizzed by were cast in shades of orange and gold. Sighing, she leaned her head against the glass and let her eyes go unfocused as the sun slipped lower.

 _It's just one more year…_


	2. Close One Door, Open Another

The sorting ceremony was quick, the students hurrying to their house tables once their name had been called. Hermione used to love the opening feast and ceremony: this year, however, she found it tedious and tiresome. It was probably due to lack of sleep more so than lack of interest. She had stayed up late the previous night to do some last minute packing, just to be sure everything was ready to go to Harry's in a few weeks, and found herself rather exhausted by midafternoon. She had already begun yawning before the feast even began.

After the sorting she found her appetite rather small, and opted to push her food around the plate during the feast rather than eating it. Her mind wandered to the list of things she needed to do before Saturday. _I'll need to store those boxes somewhere in my room until I can move them to Harry's… Perhaps add an undetectable extension charm to the wardrobe? Yes, that should work. Also need to drop off those extra clothes to a thrift shop, make sure the house listing gets posted by Thursday…_ Her head was already pounding as the tasks weighed on her mind. She'd asked Professor McGonagall to meet with her this evening to discuss a few things, namely being allowed to leave the castle when the house sale called for it and to check on her parents monthly. The older witch was known to be kind and understanding, but Hermione just wanted to be sure that the professor understood the situation and was alright with Hermione traveling now and then. She'd been a great mentor to Hermione, and so she trusted the professor above everyone else.

Her headache was growing, so Hermione decided to bid her friends farewell and head up to the dormitory. It was specifically for the Head Boy and Girl, and resided on the top floor near the astronomy tower, well away from the other house dorms. She stood from the table and waved at Harry, Ron, and Ginny as she made her way to the staircases.

Her footsteps sounded abnormally loud on the stone steps as she climbed. _I'm probably the only student here who'd rather be alone in her dorm than at the great feast…_ She thought with a wry smile. Reaching the top floor, she turned and began the trek to the astronomy tower. The hall seemed endless as she padded along the corridor, but soon enough she was greeted with the sight of her door. The painting was of Sir Lancelot, from the story of King Arthur. He looked up with a smile as she approached.

"What, ho, my fair lady! Welcome to your humble abode!" His voice rang through the hall as he bowed to her within his frame. Hermione smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Sir Lancelot. _Aequalitas._ " The door swung gently inwards, revealing a beautiful common room. Hermione was pleased to note that it contained neither Gryffindor nor Slytherin colors, but was decorated in tastefully deep shades of brown with light cream accents. There was kitchenette off to the right so that they could stay in the dorm for meals if they wished, and to the left was a comfortably large living room with fluffy couches and a roaring fireplace. It very much reminded Hermione of her own home. _At least I'll be comfortable here,_ she thought. _It's just one more year…_

Stepping further inside, she noticed a large brown blob in the corner of her eye. She groaned as she realized it was all the boxes she had packed to store at Grimmauld Place. _I thought they wouldn't be delivered until later tonight!_ Her shoulders slumping resignedly, she trudged over and picked one up, staggering under the weight. _Might as well get them put away while I'm here…_ She awkwardly shuffled to her room, dropping the box with a loud **_thud_** inside her doorway. She repeated the process several times, so engrossed in her work that she hardly noticed the **_click_** as the portrait opened and closed. She has just picked up a rather heavy box when she heard Malfoy's voice behind her.

"What the heck are you doing, mudblood?"

She jumped, startled, and promptly dropped the box on her toes.

"OUCH!" She quickly grabbed her foot, trying to dull the throbbing ache, before looking up at him with a frown. "A little warning would've been nice, Malfoy."

He sneered at her. "Ah, but it's so much more fun to just sit back and watch you injure yourself. Plus I think I've made it clear that I'm not nice."

She sighed and reached down to pick up the box again. She'd already put away six, but there were still at least four more still sitting in the corner of the living room. Hoisting the current box back into her arms, she started to walk towards her room when Malfoy spoke again.

"Merlin, Granger, just how much junk did you bring with you this year?" He was eyeing the large stack of boxes already in her room. Dropping this box next to the others, she turned back to him with weary eyes.

"It'll only be here until Saturday. It'll all be in my room anyway, so it shouldn't bother you."

She pushed gently past him and picked up another box. This one was just as heavy if not more so than the last one, and she nearly buckled under the weight. Suddenly the box lifted out of her hands, and she looked up to see Draco wave his wand, depositing it inside her room. The last few boxes also flew into her room, settling on top of the existing stack.

"Thanks." She murmured. She felt stupid for having forgotten to use her wand, but she'd gotten so used to moving the muggle way over the summer that it hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Don't thank me, mudblood. I could practically _smell_ the muggle stuff inside, and I don't want all of your junk cluttering up the common room." He huffed, walking to one of the couches and settling himself comfortably in a corner seat with a book.

Hermione slumped into a seat at the kitchen bar, her feet dangling from the tall stool. She crossed her arms on the counter and rested her forehead on them. It was so hard to be nice to Malfoy when he was being such a git, but Hermione was now so mentally and physically exhausted that she didn't care what he said.

She was just beginning to doze off when she heard a small owl screech next to her. She sat up groggily and untied the letter from its leg. Recognizing the handwriting as Professor McGonagall's, she quickly rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes and tore the letter open.

 _Ms. Granger,_

 _If you'd like, I have time to meet with you in about 15 minutes as you requested. Although I haven't the faintest inkling as to what this is about, I assure that anything you need, I'll be happy to help with. Meet me in my office._

 _Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione quickly hopped off the stool, stretching her arms up above her head in an attempt to wake herself up. She hurried to her room to grab a page of notes she'd made for her talk with the professor. As she reentered the common room, Malfoy looked up from his book.

"Just where are _you_ off to, Granger?"

She waved him off. "Personal business." She shut the portrait firmly behind her and quickly made her way down to the headmistress' office. Hopefully this would all go well, and she could sort out her private affairs without any trouble.

* * *

Hermione was about to knock on the door when it swung open, revealing Professor McGonagall sitting at her desk.

"Ah, Miss Granger, do come in." She motioned to the seat in front of her desk, and Hermione quickly sat down. "Now, what can I do for you? You mentioned this being more of a personal matter."

Hermione cleared her throat. "Yes, Professor."

McGonagall eyed her over the rim of her glasses. "Now dear, we've known each other for quite some time. I do believe you can call me Minerva now."

She smiled back, her nervousness easing a bit. "Of course, Minerva. Well, I guess I'd like to start out by saying that what I'm about to tell you happened just as the war was beginning, and I am in no way proud of my actions." At this, McGonagall looked a bit unsettled, so Hermione quickly clarified. "It's nothing bad, per se, it just changes my situation a bit."

McGonagall visibly relaxed, and she took this as her cue to continue. "I'm sure Dumbledore told you about the Horcrux hunt that Harry, Ron, and I went on?" McGonagall nodded. Hermione took a deep breath. _The moment of truth…_ "Well, before we left, I Obliviated my parents and sent them to Australia…"

McGonagall's eyes widened. "My dear girl, why on earth would you do something like that?"

Hermione's face contorted with regret. "It was the only way I could think of to keep them safe. Voldemort knew I was one of Harry's closest friends, and that made them a target. With me helping Harry, I couldn't always be there to protect them, and so I did the only thing I thought would keep them out of harm's way." She looked down at the ground as she continued. "After the war, I went to find them. They've been living quite happily in Sydney, under different names. The shock came when I tried to restore their memories. The initial Obliviate I cast was far more powerful than I intended, and I can't undo it. I tried so many times…" At this, she had to blink back the tears that were forming. She looked back up at McGonagall as she continued. "I finally decided to just leave them be. They're happy where they are, in their new life, and as long as they're safe, I'll be okay."

McGonagall looked at her student with a newfound respect and care. "I can only imagine how hard of a decision that must have been for you, and I admire your courage for it. You're a very strong girl, Miss Granger." Hermione nodded her thanks.

McGonagall cleared her throat before continuing. "However, I don't see exactly where you need my help in this. I suspect there is more to tell?"

Hermione nodded. "After I decided to leave them be, it fell to me to take care of our home and money. My parents have the majority of their savings, but I kept a little to see me through until I begin work. This summer I decided that I'm going to sell the house. I've packed up all my belongings and sold what I'm not keeping. The only thing left to do now is put the house on the market and hope it sells quickly, but I'd need permission to leave the school to take care of that. Meeting with realtors and potential buyers, since I'm selling it the muggle way."

McGonagall nodded. "Of course you have my permission. You've shown great responsibility and leadership over the years, and I trust you."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Minerva. There is one other thing, though. Since I found my parents, I've been spending one day a month in Australia just to check on them and make sure they're alright. If it's not too much trouble, could I continue to do so? I have my own portkey, I just need your permission." She twisted her hands nervously in her lap as she spoke.

Her words were greeted with a gentle smile from McGonagall. "I see no reason why not. You can choose any day you wish each month, just be sure to keep up with your classes if you choose a school day."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Things would be okay now. McGonagall's next words seemed to voice her thoughts.

"The ties we have to family never truly disappear. Nor does the love of a parent or child." She smiled at Hermione once more. "You're a strong girl, Hermione. Don't let the past weigh you down; it's time to close that door and open the one to your future."

Hermione nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Minerva, this truly means the world to me."

"Think nothing of it. You may go back to your dormitory. I suspect that there is some much needed rest for you to catch up on." At this, Hermione rose and made her way to the door. Opening it, she paused and turned back.

"Thank you again, Minerva. Even though my mother doesn't know me anymore, it seems I've had another one here at Hogwarts all along."

Hermione just barely caught a glance of McGonagall's eyes misting over as she shut the door. _It's time to close one door and open another… It's time to move on._


	3. Time To Go

*** **Sorry, I just realized that this posted the incomplete version of the chapter! It's fixed now, so happy reading...*****

The first two weeks of school passed quickly. Hermione stayed busy with Head duties and her classwork, and occasionally spent an afternoon in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Her interactions with Malfoy had been minimal so far, only a glare or rude comment from him in passing. True to her word, she had been kind and courteous no matter how angry or sad he'd made her feel, which seemed to throw Malfoy off more often than not. Today in particular, he'd been avoiding her since the moment she'd woken up. Which wasn't really very long at all, but she wasn't going to focus on that. She had decided that she'd check on her parents today. It had been a little over a month since her last visit, and she wanted to see how things were going for them.

Standing up from her perch at the kitchen counter, she stretched and made her way to her bedroom. Seeing as she'd be in Australia, and winter there had yet to fade, she opted to switch her baggy t-shirt and lounge pants for some comfortable skinny jeans and a light gray sweater. She quickly twisted her hair up into a cute messy bun, leaving a few delicate waves out to frame her face, and moved to the wardrobe to grab her brown boots.

She turned to go to the common room where she had set her bag down when a blur of color caught her eye. It was her only photo of her with her parents, resting gently against a pile of books on her nightstand. She hesitantly reached for it, holding it gently between her fingers. _I suppose it wouldn't hurt to bring it… It will help me pass the time today when I can't see Mum or Dad_. She closed her eyes, hugging the photo to her chest and drew deep, steady breaths. Her heart still ached when she thought of her family, but she knew they were all right, and that's what really mattered. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, wiping away the few stray tears that had formed. Holding the picture in one hand and her boots in the other, she once again made her way to door. Reentering the common room, she sat on the edge of the couch so she could pull on her boots. I wonder if the snow in Victoria has melted yet…

A voice outside the portrait hole jostled her from her thoughts. A click a moment later signaled that it was Malfoy, no doubt skipping class to come back here to the dorm. Hermione was definitely not in the mood for an argument and decided to just leave him be, so she stood and headed for the kitchen just as he entered the room. He froze when he caught sight of her, but quickly recovered and leaned back against the doorway, sneering.

"Now this is a sight I'll bet no one else has seen. Hermione Granger skipping class? I'll bet McGonagall will be _thrilled_ to hear about this." He pushed off of the wall, following her into the kitchen. Hermione sighed gently, her back still facing him as she went about making herself a cup of tea. Her brow furrowed and lips tilted ever so slightly into a frown as her continued to ramble on about how awful it was that she was skipping class and how much trouble she'd be in when he told McGonagall. He stopped for a moment, taking in first the upset look on her face, then her clothing.

"What's the matter, _Princess_ Mudblood? Got into an argument with Scarhead and Weasel, so you're running away?" He smirked down at her, his arms folded across his chest. Hermione looked up at him with weary eyes and forced a tiny smile as she set her mug of tea back on the counter.

"Not at all, Malfoy. I have somewhere I need to be today, and Professor McGonagall has already given me permission to go. I should be back early tomorrow morning, so I arranged to have Zabini cover my rounds tonight. I figured you'd be more comfortable with a friend and fellow Slytherin anyway. And as always, I finished my schoolwork early, so no need to be worried on my account." Turning to face the counter again, her smile faded as she finished her tea and rinsed the mug in the sink. Malfoy was silent for a moment, but immediately resumed his interrogation.

"I never worry about anyone, so no problem there. And just where might you be going in muggle clothing, and overnight? Certainly nothing school related. Maybe you and Weasel are finally getting together, is that it? Though if so, I would highly suggest you at least _try_ to make yourself look decent," he said, gesturing to her choice of clothing. He paused, seemingly waiting for a response, and scowled when the only one he got was Hermione pushing past him and heading for the portrait. He grabbed her elbow and turned her around to face him. "What, not enough Gryffindor courage to even admit it?"

She frowned again, her brows furrowing slightly in both pain and annoyance. She obligingly met his gaze, but used her other hand to remove his rather painful grip on her elbow. _Might as well just say enough to clear THAT up right now…_

"Ron and I were never together and never will be, Malfoy. So no, that's not where I'm going. I'll be in a muggle area, which is why I'm wearing muggle clothing, and I'm going overnight because it's rather far away and the time distance gets in the way of the things I need to take care of. So if you'll excuse me, I really need to go now." Her voice was calm but quiet, quite different from how she normally spoke to Harry and Ron. For some reason, she just never felt the need to raise her voice at Malfoy like she used to, and now she preferred to speak quietly when it was just the two of them. Pulling her arm away from him, she turned and pushed her way out of the portrait hole before he could stop her, shutting it in his face so he would know to leave her alone. As soon as she set foot in the hallway, she slowed her pace and gently meandered down the hallway. She had to be outside the castle to use the portkey, so she slowly made her way through the empty halls towards the front courtyard. Everyone was in class, so she knew it would peaceful for a while yet.

The walk itself was rather pleasant. Midmorning sunlight streamed in through the tall windows, and only the occasional sound of an owl fluttering by and Hermione's gentle footsteps disturbed the tranquil silence of the castle. Upon reaching the courtyard, she reached into her bag and retrieved the small felt pouch that contained her portkey. She'd made it herself after two months of studying how, and was pleased that it worked so well. Taking a deep breath, she opened the pouch and looked at the tiny golden globe.

"Australia, here I come…" She whispered in a soft tone, and touched the object with the tip of a finger. With a flash of bright light and a distinct tugging at her stomach, she felt her feet hit the ground and looked around. She'd arrived.

* * *

 _Oh, she did NOT just dismiss me._ Draco was furious. Not only had the annoying little mudblood just dismissed him like some sort of _commoner,_ she'd also slammed the portrait right on his nose, which he now sat rubbing to dull the throbbing ache that had set in. Glaring around the common room, he felt a brilliant idea hit him. _Well, if she won't TELL us where she's going, then we may just have to follow her and find out._ A triumphant smirk settled on his face as he quickly cast a disillusionment charm on himself and _muffliato-ed_ his footsteps. Stepping out of the portrait hole, he turned just in time to see the little wench turn the corner at the far end of the hall.

Quickly shuffling down the hall so as not to lose her, he rounded the corner and was annoyed to learn that she was simply ambling down the hall at an infuriatingly slow pace. He continued to follow her through the castle, stopping now and then to sit when she slowed her pace even more than her current languidness. As they reached the front courtyard, his annoyance grew even further as he realized that they might actually be _walking_ to wherever she was going. _If she's just going for a little stroll on the grounds, I am in NO WAY going to join her for something as stupid as that-_ His thoughts were cut short as Granger stopped in the center of the courtyard and reached into her bag. Curious, Draco inched closer until he was standing right beside her, just far enough away that she wouldn't feel his robes in the gentle breeze. His curiosity grew even more as she pulled out a tiny felt pouch: the kind, he realized, that usually held portkeys. Realizing that she was about to disappear into thin air, he cast a wordless tracking spell on her. _So just where ARE you going?..._

A devilish grin overtook his features as he heard her gently whisper.

"Australia, here I come..."

 _Well, THIS is going to be an interesting day, Mudblood. An interesting day indeed..._


End file.
